Sonoma County’s Text Message Puzzle: Deleting, Laws, and Public Insight

In Sonoma County, each of the five supervisors handles text messages differently. One clears them the next day, another empties the inbox weekly, while two rely on auto‑delete timers set for 30 days and a year. Only one rarely deletes anything. These varied habits create a patchwork of transparency that leaves the public guessing about what truly matters.

The county’s rulebook says nothing about texts, only emails and Teams chats. State law lets local governments pick their own timelines, so supervisors feel they are on solid legal ground. Yet the spirit of open government suggests a clearer path. California’s open‑meeting law reminds officials that citizens should stay informed about the tools they create, not be left in the dark.

Texts became crucial after the 2017 wildfires, when a series of messages revealed how leaders reacted to criticism. One official wrote about a "special place in hell" for those playing blame games, a comment that sparked scrutiny and later prompted statewide warning improvements. The episode shows why even scheduling notes can matter to the public, and why officials need a way to separate personal chats from work‑related ones.

A practical fix is to add texts to the county’s retention schedule, treating them like emails with a two‑year hold. An automated archive would keep the process simple and prevent accidental deletions. While the state legislature could set a uniform standard, Sonoma can act now by adopting a clear policy. Supervisor Coursey’s view that anything written could become public reflects the right mindset for any official.